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Advanced open-end recoding

Updated at 2020-01-02
Protobi coding interface for element Q7_coded_copy displaying survey responses in the left column with assigned code tags (like #GOOD, #NOT EASY, #DOSE INDICATOR, #COST EFFECTIVE) in the middle column, and a code set panel on the right showing available codes including #COST EFFECTIVE, #DOSE INDICATOR, #EASY TO USE, and others.

Protobi has two features that make coding text open-ends easier: the Simple Recode Tool and Advanced Recode Tool.

Recode (advanced) is particularly helpful for coding open-ends with many responses. At the top of the page, the project name and the element key are displayed.

The main components of the page are:

  • Responses: The raw response text, left column
  • Codes: codes assigned to each response, next to it
  • Code set: full codeframe, right panel
  • Search bar: Look up keywords to limit the responses that appear
  • Toolbar: Allows you to save, select responses, add codes, etc

Please note

Recode (advanced) is separate from the project view. Prior to launching it, make sure all changes are saved in the project view.

After you're done recoding, press Save in Recode (advanced). When you return to the project view, reload the browser to see your changes.

How to access

To get to an element's Recode (advanced) page, press on the header of the element you want to recode. It will turn blue to indicate it's selected. Then, from the "Advanced" button on the toolbar, choose "Recode (advanced)."

Dropdown menu showing advanced options including Hide/unhide (D), Group (G), Dissolve (U), Clone (simple) (E L), Change key (E K), Copy Element(s) (C J), Paste Element(s) (V J), Paste Special (V P), Google Translate (A T), Recode (advanced) (A R), and QC checks (beta) (Q C), with the Recode (advanced) option highlighted.

Responses/Codes

View responses on the left. Codes already assigned to a response appear immediately to its right in the "Codes" column. The full list of all available codes for this element appears separately, in the "Code set" panel further to the right.

  • Press on a response to select it — it highlights in yellow. Press it again to deselect it.
  • Press Esc on your keyboard as another way to deselect all responses.
  • Copy icon next to a selected response: copies its text.
  • "+" next to a response: opens the "Add code to selected responses" dialog. Check an existing code or enter a new code number and label, then press Ok.
  • Press a code on a response: limits the view to only responses that have that code. Press "Non-answer" or "Other" to see responses tagged as such.
  • Press "x" on a code: removes that code from the response.
Protobi coding interface with the first response 'A bit confusing for the elderly' highlighted in yellow/gold, showing it is tagged with the #NOT EASY code. The Code set panel on the right displays all available codes, and the interface shows multiple other responses below with their respective code assignments.

Code set

Use the Code set panel on the right to manage every code in the element's codeframe — each one shows a count of how many responses carry it. Related codes can be grouped under Nets — dark header rows like "Device Features" or "Value & Innovation" — for higher-level reporting.

  • Press a code: limits the view to only responses tagged with that code.
  • Press the pencil icon on a code: opens the "Edit tag" dialog to rename it, edit its number or details, Unapply it from all responses (keeping it in the codeframe), or Dissolve it (delete permanently).
  • Drag a code onto a response: another way to tag it.
  • With a response selected, codes in the Code set panel show + (not yet applied — press to add) or - (already applied — press to remove).
  • Add a new code: use "Add new code..." at the top, or the "+" row at the bottom — Protobi suggests a code number, enter a label to identify it.
  • Add net: press "Add net..." to create a Net that groups related codes together. Press the chevron to expand/collapse a Net.
    • Pencil icon on a Net: rename it.
    • "x" on a Net: delete the Net (codes inside it are ungrouped, not deleted).
    • Drag a code onto a Net to move it into that group.
  • Numerify codes: if your codes are strings instead of numeric, use this option to convert all tags to number:label pairs.
Protobi coding interface displaying responses with several #COST EFFECTIVE codes highlighted in orange, including on responses like 'Cost effective Refill easy to replace Dose counter' which has multiple codes including #DOSE INDICATOR and #COST EFFECTIVE (both in orange). The Code set panel shows #COST EFFECTIVE highlighted in orange at the top of the list.

Search bar

Use the search bar to limit the view to responses that contain a keyword — it matches partial words too. For example, search 'difficul' to surface responses containing "difficult," "difficulty," or any other word containing that string. Matches are highlighted in green within the response text.

Search also supports Regular Expressions, from simple to advanced. See the RegEx cheat sheet.

You can also double-click a word in any response to automatically add it to the search bar.

Protobi coding interface with 'difficult' entered in the Search box, filtering the responses to show only those containing that term.

Toolbar

Save (S)

Press or use keyboard shortcut S to save your work. After you're done recoding in Recode (advanced), press this button. When you return to the project view, reload the browser to see your changes.

Clear (Esc)

Press or use the Esc key on the keyboard to clear your search.

Select all (e)

Press to select all responses in the view pane. This lets you add codes to many responses at once.

Below, all responses that mention "difficult" are selected. Press Select all again to deselect all.

Protobi coding interface continuing the filtered view with 'difficult' in the Search box. The responses shown are all highlighted in yellow/gold and contain the search term. This view shows the same filtered set of responses about difficulty with the medical device, each with their assigned codes like #NOT EASY, #ECO-FRIENDLY, and #EASY TO USE.

Add code (t)

Press to add a code to selected responses.

This button is an alternative to pressing the "+" sign next to responses. Press it to bring up the "Add code to selected responses" dialog. You can choose an existing code or create a new one. Press Ok.

Modal dialog titled 'Add code to selected responses' displaying a list of existing codes with checkboxes (#COST EFFECTIVE, #DOSE INDICATOR, #EASY TO USE, #ECO-FRIENDLY, #GOOD, #NOT EASY, #OTHER, #SIMILAR) and a '(new)' option with '9' in a field and 'difficult' entered as the new code name. The dialog shows the filtered responses will receive this code and includes Cancel and Ok buttons

Remove codes (del)

Press to remove codes from selected responses.

Labels (f)

Press to toggle from formatted response values to raw response values.

Protobi coding interface displaying responses with numeric code badges instead of text labels. Responses show codes like '6', '5', '1', and combinations like '5 1', '2 1', and '6 1'. The right Code set panel shows numeric codes 1 through 8 with an 'Add new code...' link and 'Numerify codes...' option.

Language

Press the Language button to switch the display language or launch Google Translate.

  • Original (default) and other listed languages: switch the display to a previously-added translation.
  • Google Translate...: opens a dialog to translate display text into a new language without changing the underlying raw responses or recode keys.
    • What to translate: choose Response text, Code and response labels, or Question title.
    • Target language: pick the language to translate into.
    • Switch to this language when translation finishes: check to display the new translation immediately.
    • Remove the selected translation instead: check to delete an existing translation rather than add one.
    • Press Ok to run the translation.
Showing the Language button is a dropdown for switching the display language or launching Google Translate.

Weight

Press to apply a survey weight field, so response counts reflect that weight instead of counting each response as 1.

  • Toggle weights off: turns weighting off and reverts to counting each response as 1.
  • Select weight field: choose a weight field from your dataset (e.g. weight1, weight2) to apply.

Once weighting is active, code counts and response frequencies reflect the selected weight... Protobi hides responses whose weighted frequency comes out to 0 from the list.

Note: the tooltip references a "w" keyboard shortcut, but this shortcut isn't currently active.

Showing survey weight field, so response counts reflect that weight instead of counting each response as 1.

Autocode

Opens the "Autocode data" dialog, where Protobi AI can create, apply, describe, and evaluate categorizations of your open-end responses.

  • Create: builds categories without assigning them.
  • Create + Apply: builds categories and assigns them to responses (enhanced).
  • Detail level: Broad, Detailed, or Granular.
  • Apply results to (Augment/Apply only): All responses, or Uncoded only.
  • Options: include "Other" and/or "Non-answer" codes, or group codes into higher-level Nets.
  • Additional instructions: optional hint for the AI.
  • Clear assignments... / Clear all...: remove existing codes before running.

Press Ok to run.

Showing autocode dialog box where create+apply selected

Summary

Press to open an AI-generated summary of the element's coding — a short narrative on the key themes, followed by Key Ideas and Frequency: each code with its mention count and a one-line description.

Showing summary for the AI run

Export

Dropdown showing Json and Excel positioned under Export button, used for exporting coded response data in different file formats

Press to download the coded values as JSON (.json) or Excel (.xlsx).

Below is an example exported Excel file:

  • value: the raw response text
  • reformat: the code number(s) assigned to that response
  • reformatOk: QC status per assigned code (e.g. true if confirmed, null if not yet reviewed)
  • reformatSeen: marks whether the response has been reviewed
  • reformatRef: the reference code(s) for that response, from an independent AI evaluation

Import

Press to bring in coded data from a file.

  • Protobi JSON...: import a previously exported Protobi JSON file.
  • Protobi Excel...: import a previously exported Protobi Excel file.
  • Caplena codeframe...: import a codeframe from Caplena.
  • Ascribe codeframe...: import a codeframe from Ascribe.
  • Other/custom format...: import a codeframe from another or custom format.

Review

Press to compare your current coding against an independent AI reference solution and QC your assignments.

This is the same comparison view described in Evaluate your coding — see that section for how to read the +/- markers, thumbs up/down, and Code set deltas.